Encinitas Takes Plastic Straw Ban A Giant Leap Further

Encinitas is advancing a proposal to require restaurants and retailers to use only compostable or reusable foodware, following a report that reveals 80% of trash collected in local cleanups in 2023 was plastic.

Author

Christian Garcia
July 16, 2024

LOCAL POLITICS

plastic straw

Encinitas is advancing a proposal to require restaurants and retailers to use only compostable or reusable foodware, following a report that reveals 80% of trash collected in local cleanups in 2023 was plastic.

  • A recent report found that 80% of trash collected in 2023 cleanups in Encinitas was plastic.

  • The city’s environmental commission has proposed amendments to the 2020 plastic ordinance to ban single-use plastics and enforce compostable materials.

  • If approved, restaurants will need to switch to compostable or reusable items for all foodware, with specific exceptions for certain single-use items.

  • Retailers must sell foodware made from natural fiber-based compostable materials or aluminum, eliminating traditional plastics from their offerings.

  • The initiative is supported by local waste hauler EDCO, which aims to reduce landfill waste and promote composting through stricter regulations.

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